William b



(No Model.)

W. B. ADAMS.

ADJUSTABLE PROP. FOR GLUTHES LINES.

Patented 1360.16. 1890.

1E ed] NITE STATES Trice.

ATnNT VILLIAM B. ADAMS, OF GREENFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS M. ELLIOTT, OF SAME PLACE.

ADJ USTABLE PROP FOR CLOTH ES-LI N ES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,763, dated December 16, 1890.

Application led April 19, 1890. Serial No. 348,667. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. ADAMS, of Greenfield` in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Adjustable Prop for Clothes Lines, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

The objects of this invention are to produce an extensible prop-stick for the support of stretched and iilled clothes-lines that will be of simple and substantial form and that may be set to hold the line at any desired point of elevation, also that may be slid together when not in service, thereby reducing its height, thus affording a neat, light, and compact device.

'To these ends my invention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device in service. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 is an edge view, of the prop.

The prop consists of two sections A B. The lower section A consists of a strip of board having proper length, width, and thickness, preferably made with parallel sides and edges.

A series of downwardly and laterally inclined slots a is cut in the material of the prop-section A from one edge. The distance apart of these slots may be varied; but preferably they are given an equal space between each pair sufficiently removed that there will be proper strength afforded to the material between the slots, so as to avoid breakage of these integral brackets. The walls produced by removal of the material to form a slot should be parallel, and the upper corner a of each slot is rounded to facilitate the introduction of an interlockinghandle on the other section, which will be described. The width of the section A should be such proportionately that ample strength will be afforded to the material nncutby the slots a, represented by the breadth between the lower ends of said slots and the edge b of said prop-section. A notch is cut in the edge b of the prop-section A at the upper end and a corner removed, as shown in Fig. 2, thus producing a seat for one edge of the metal keeper-band O, which is placed on the end of this prop-section and thereto secured, resting on the shoulder afforded by the removal of the material7 as shown.

Thekeeper-band C when in place is of such breadth, transversely considered, that it will receive the upper prop-section B and permit it to slide freely through the same, the width of the upper section being such relatively as to cause its parallel edges d to be loosely embraced by the keeper-band C and permitting a sufficient edgewise swinging movement within the band C to release the connection of the upper section B from the lower section A, that is thus adapted to hold the top section B upon the lower section A and allow the upper section to be longitudinally moved, as may be required.

Upon one edge of the upper section B an inwardly and downwardly curved slot e is formed, which is designed to receive a clothesline. This slot is of suitable width near its inner terminal to closely embrace the line when it is inserted therein, the outer part vof the slot e being widened sufficiently tofreely admit the line and guide it to its resting-place at the bottom c thereof, which is enlarged into a circular form, so that the line when in place will be secured against accidental displacement.

In order to hold the lower end ot the top section B adj ustably engaged with the slots of the lower section A, a laterally-projecting handle-piecefis affixed in the side of the upper section near its lower end, the body of which handle is rounded and of a size to enter any one of the slots ct it may be made to engage. The handle portion being shaped for convenient manipulation may be readily grasped when an adjustment of the prop-sections is necessary.

The device when not in service is adjusted so that the handle-piecef will enter the lowest notch or slot in the sect-ion A, and when needed to raise and support a clothes-line C', as shown in Fig. l, the line is placed in the slot e therein, and the prop-section B is slid upwardly and swung outwardly until a cor- IOO rect height is attained for the line C, when the handle-piecef is inserted to rest at the bottom of an adjacent slot a, whereby a staple elongation ot' the prop as a whole is effected vertically beneath the line, thus rendering elncient service.

The reversal of the described operation will release the prop-stick, which may be given its normal folded adjustment, as previously explained.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An adjustable clothes-line prop having a sliding upper section loosely embraced by a keeper on the top of the lower section, said lower section being of a greater width than the upper section and having diagonally-inclined slots formed at intervals on one edge for the interlocking engagement of a laterally-projected handle-piece on the upper section near its lower end, substantially as set forth.

upper end, and a handle-piece projecting from one side of the top section near its lower end and adapted to engage any one of the slots in the edge of the lower section, substantially as set forth.

NVILLlAll/l B. ADAMS.

Vitnesses:

R. B. JULIAN, J. B. ELDER. 

